Additive manufacturing and 3D printing methods and devices are expanding. Innovations are occurring in materials used, systems of delivery, and applications.
The most popular 3D printers are appliances about the size of a microwave. They are limited in a few ways. Typically, they can only print one material at a time, and the build size is small, less than a cubic foot.
Some additive manufacturing techniques utilize gantry systems or mechanical arms, which afford the ability to build larger objects. But these are still limited to the size and maneuverability of the system of delivery, the volume under the gantry system or the reach of the mechanical arm.
There is a desire to build larger objects utilizing additive manufacturing techniques. A new method and device are needed to build these objects, but also make the objects strong enough to support the increased forces resulting from the larger size.